Ouroboros
by lovesrainscent
Summary: The symbol of the serpent swallowing its own tail represents something constantly recreating itself, something persisting from the beginning with such force it cannot be extinguished. Kabuto finds out just how true this imagery is.


**Title: Ouroboros**

**Author: Lovesrainscent**

**Rating: T**

**Pairing: Kabuto/Orochimaru**

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Naruto or these characters and stand to make no profit from posting this story.

**Summary: **The symbol of the serpent swallowing its own tail represents something constantly recreating itself, something existing from the beginning with such force it cannot be extinguished. Kabuto finds out just how true that imagery is.

**Ouroboros  
**

Kabuto studied the still-warm corpse in front of him as he prepared for the summoning. By now the ritual required had become second nature he'd performed it so many times. Yet he was surprised that he felt a small thrill of excitement and anticipation at the thought of what he was about to do.

_"Kuchiyose Edo Tensei," _he uttered, his preparations complete.

The body's form became unstable, almost fluid as the soul he'd ordered to occupy it resisted before yielding to the inevitable. After a moment of tortured writhing the body took on the once familiar shape of his former enemy. The chakra reserves this one brought with it were unmatched by any he'd summoned before and for a moment he felt a flicker of fear that he would be unable to attach the tag in time.

"Kabuto Yakushi!" the deep bass voice intoned in disgust as the now reanimated one recognized him. "What have you done?"

The man in front of him raised a hand as if to strike him and a puzzled look crossed his face replaced by one of anger as he realized the limitations the summons placed him under. He was unable to strike his summoner.

"Now, now, no need for that," Kabuto taunted in his lilting tenor, enjoying watching his new subject fume at his own impotence. "I've merely asked you here to help me with a little dilemma I'm facing."

"What is it?" the white-haired man grumbled through gritted teeth.

"You see, Jiraiya, I need some assistance with the breaking and then making of two very specific seals. And I know there's no one past or present who exceeds your level of expertise with seals."

"As if I'd help you," the resurrected sannin snorted in disgust.

"Well, yes, as a matter of fact, you will," Kabuto answered, deftly attaching the tag. It was a pity, actually, watching the fire leave those eyes to be replaced by nothing much more than the blank stare of an automaton. It would have been...nice...to see his interaction with the one-that-was-to-come if his personality had been left intact. Alas, however, Kabuto chided himself, that was not his primary goal.

"You see," Kabuto continued, addressing his now obedient servant, "I need your help in breaking a very specific seal, the one created by the Sword of Totsuka."

The summoned Jiraiya paused, no longer resisting just thinking. "It can be done," he droned in reply, "but it will require an abundance of chakra as well as multiple sacrifices."

"Neither of which will be a problem," Kabuto replied.

"Very well then," summoned-Jiraiya intoned and he began flatly reciting the precise steps needed to break the seal produced by the sword of Totsuka.

After rehearsing the steps to his new master's satisfaction, summoned-Jiraiya then asked, "Will there be anything else?"

"One more seal, if you please," Kabuto sneered enjoying this immensely. "I need a very specific seal, a very powerful seal, similar to the one on the tag you now wear," he touched the tag affixed to summoned dead man's forhead, "Only much more powerful than the one you wear. You may have been fairly evenly matched in strength and skill, but in terms of sheer force of personality, I'm afraid that the one to come very much exceeds you."

Again, the drone-like summoned shadow of the former sannin paused, incapable of resisting, simply searching its memory for the details its new master required to produce the required seal. He began to speak and Kabuto paid close, very close attention.

Satisfied he now had the necessary elements he dismissed the dead man back to join the host of previously fallen comrades and enemies. Then Kabuto withdrew to think and...to summon up his own nerve.

He had to be ready. He had to be ready with the second seal as soon as the first was broken, of that he was very sure. And the temptation would be too great to allow Orochimaru to...speak to him, to beguile him, to...seduce him. Again Kabuto felt the frisson of fear, danger and delight wash through him. It was exhilarating.

He needed Lord Orochimaru to defeat Madera, of that he was sure. Between himself and Madera the two of them could raise an army of the previously dead to defeat the weaker shinobi of today. But Kabuto knew that when it came down to the two of them there was a very strong chance that Madera would defeat him without Lord Orochimaru's skill and help.

As he adjusted his glasses, pushing them back up on his nose, Kabuto realized that it was a curious affectation, much like his glasses themselves, that he still referred to Orochimaru as Orochimaru-_sama._ There was just something about the man that... required it.

Curious.

Nonetheless, strengthening his resolve, he withdrew to a quiet place to prepare.

This was going to be the most complex, delicate and dangerous series of jutsus he had ever performed.

Of that he had no doubt.

He had to break the seal of Totsuka at the same time as he performed the Edo Tensei. But before he began either of those he had to make sure he had the tag ready to obliterate the personality of the one summoned.

If he had the strength of will to do so.

He prepared the tag. Then pulling the struggling young shinobi he'd brouht to use as the sacrifice closer to him, he sliced his throat with a kunai and breathed the words to break Totsuka's seal along with Edo Tensai.

It took longer than with Jiraiya, for a brief moment he feared that he would be unable to break Totsuka's seal leaving his lord forever trapped in its blissful genjutsu. But finally the body in front of him jellied then shivered and writhed and began to take on a new shape.

Finally, the new body stirred to life and Kabuto gasped in amazement. His lord was restored, whole and unblemished. He was familiar with Edo Tensei enough by now to know that the bodies didn't necessarily show the ravages of the violent deaths most of his summons had suffered at the end of their previous lives. But this was beyond his expectation. Lord Orochimaru was...perfect.

The slim, youthful body before him was unscarred. Orochimaru stood before him, a statue cut from alabaster, ebony hair curtaining half his face and flowing down his back, sword of Kusanagi still held in his hand. His lord stood before him terrible in his beauty.

"Kabuto," he said, no breathed his name and the sound of his long-missed voice almost brought Kabuto to tears. "Kabuto, I knew you were the one I could count on."

A part of his brain was shrieking at Kabuto to apply the tag _now. _But as he raised his hand, Orochimaru encircled his wrist with his own cold hand. "Now, now, Kabuto, I don't think we'll be needing to use_ that _jutsu, do you?"

Kabuto started to resist but the feel of his lord's skin against his own, the sound of his voice in his ears overcame him and the tag fluttered forgotten to the ground. He stood mesmerized by his lord's stare, the dark eyes holding him enthralled.

"No, my lord," he agreed.

"That's a good boy," Orochimaru laughed and Kabuto realized it was the most intoxicatingly beautiful sound he had ever heard.

"Kabuto," Orochimaru purred, tipping the white-haired man's chin up to look deeply into his eyes. "All those years ago you offered your body to me._ Now_ do you see why I never accepted?"

"Y-yes, Lord," the former medic nin acknowledged overcome with devotion and marveling at the faith his lord had placed in him all these years ago, never suspecting that Orochimaru had kept him in _reserve, _in the event he should_ need_ him in this manner at some point in time.

"And now, Kabuto," and the way Orochimaru breathed out his name felt like a kiss to the younger man.

"And now it's time, Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto acknowledged.

"Good boy," Orochimaru agreed as he began to take possession of his new body.

A few moments later he straightened trying to adjust to the new physical body that he now occupied. He looked at the pile of dust and ashes that lay at his feet and wiped the taste of dust and ashes that still sullied his lips from their last kiss. Taking inventory of the new body and its strengths he chuckled to himself. "Why Kabuto, I do think you've made some improvements since last time."

Then the being that was and always had been Kabutochimaru went off to see what that prick Madera was up to.


End file.
